EU Commissioner Sandra Kalniete believes that EU enlargement
promises huge benefits for the food production sector, but changes
must still be made to a number of current trade regimes.
Competition for European suppliers of honey has ramped up with
Brussels clearing the way to end a two year ban on food imports
from China which should pave the way for cheaper raw materials for
honey formulations.
Dairy producers in the Baltic State of Lithuanian are in line to
receive up to €20 million in EU export subsidies for products
exported to third countries, the country's Institute of Agrarian
Economics is forecasting.
The world's watchdog for food rules has given the green light to
over 20 new and amended food standards covering animal feeding,
milk products and a newly adopted definition for traceability.
Tatramleko, one of the Czech Republic's largest dairy concerns, is
giving further thought to to the idea of moving its headquarters to
neighbouring Slovakia in an effort to reduce taxation costs.
Cheaper sugar ingredients could be on the way for food makers as
rumours continue to circulate about the proposed new rules to the
EU sugar regime that could open up the protected European market,
prompting Danish sugar giant Danisco...
Cheaper sugar ingredients could be on the way for food makers in
Europe as draft plans for tough changes to the much criticised
sugar regime come to light.
Huhtamaki's Chinet range of moulded fibre foodservice plates has
just been certified for biodegradability - the latest step in an
industry-wide trend towards greener packaging.
Food manufacturers must continue to be on the alert for a red devil
as the list of products containing the potentially carcinogenic,
and illegal, red dye Sudan I is far from tailing off. Now the UK
Food Standards Agency is alerting...
Accreditation of Genetic ID's testing for detection of genetically
modified materials in raw foods, processed foods, and animal feed
has been renewed by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service
(UKAS).
The acquisition of Rhodia Food Ingredients by Danisco has finally
been completed today, bringing the Danish ingredients group one
step closer towards its goal of becoming a leading supplier of
ingredients to the food industry. The...
The Beverage Can Makers in Europe (BCME) has welcomed the advocate
general's conclusions in the EU Court cases regarding the German
packaging regime. He found that the discriminatory elements of the
German packaging order regarding...
The first lorries loaded with cheese from Arla Foods' dairy plant
in Poland headed for Finland last week, as all export quotas and
customs levies were finally lifted between existing and new EU
Member States, writes Anthony Fletcher.
A scientist at the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden has
demonstrated how manufacturers can make environmentally-friendly
packing out of garbage.
On 1 May an historic moment marked the entry of ten countries and
75 million consumers into the European Union. Churchill's 'Iron
Curtain' has been consigned to the history books, heralding
democracy, stability and...
The accession of ten countries to the EU on May 1 means that export
quotas, customs levies and export subsidies will be lifted between
existing and new member states. Will this open up opportunities for
the dairy sector in the east,...
Earlier this month CAOBISCO, the body which represents European
manufacturers of sugar-based foods, came racing to side of the
businesses it represents in the accession countries. Once installed
in an enlarged Europe, the new Member...
Offices of bakery ingredients and sweeteners giant CSM were raided
yesterday by the Dutch competition watchdog NMa on suspicions of
price fixing in the firms sugar division CSM Suiker. In a parallel
raid, the NMa hit leading Dutch...
Sugar prices look set to rise in the accession countries by up to
60 per cent, warns the European chocolate and confectionery body
CAOBISCO this week, predicting major set backs for food
manufacturers installed in the zone. The warning...
Sugar giant British Sugar helped boost six month results for its
parent, food and ingredients firm Associated British Foods, which
this week reported double-digit growth in profits. But
international agency Oxfam has criticised the...
Despite Italian food giant Parmalat's financial crisis, its
divisions in both Romania and Hungary continue to operate. Indeed,
Parmalat Hungary is expecting that in the run up to accession,
production will increase in response...
Intensified competition in the ingredients marketplace and
disappointing orders for Cocoa Butter Equivalents (CBE) following
the new chocolate rules leads to job losses at Danish fats and oils
firm Aarhus United.
The EU has made no secret of the fact that it is now looking into
sourcing dairy products from Russia. Simon Pitman spoke to
the Russian Ministry of Agriculture to find out about how
under-utilisation of production facilities in both...
Friesland Romania, a division of Netherlands-based Friesland
Coberco Dairy Foods, has made a public offer for a controlling
stake in the Romanian dairy group Napolact, in which it already has
a 41 per cent stake. The acquisition will...
Days after EU ministers at the Agriculture Council huddled together
to chew over impending changes to the sugar regime, leading
sweeteners group Tate & Lyle tells the market that no surprises
are in store for 2005.
European customers are demanding greater assurances of quality and
hygiene in their food products. A recent conference on the
packaging of fish examined at what the industry was doing to meet
these concerns.
A lack of integration at a European level is 'severely hampering'
efforts to co-ordinate stakeholder efforts - food industry and
independent scientists - in the area of chemical contaminants in
food, warn Swedish scientists....
The European Commission has approved Air Liquide's proposed
acquisition of Messer Griesheim's industrial gas business in
Germany, the United Kingdom and the USA. The acquisition alters the
balance of power in Europe's...
This year the European dairy industry is to be effected by two
major changes in the sector. On 1 May the EU will include 10 new
states into its set up. And later in the year the EU will lower its
intervention level on milk. These...
Latvian dairy producer Rigas Piensaimnieks has made an interesting
side-step into the world of multifunctional manufacturing in an
effort to increase its market share and maintain future growth.
Sauces and condiments will now become...
Expecting a higher uptake of vegetable fats by European chocolate
manufacturers following the new '5 per cent' chocolate rule, Danish
oils and fats supplier Aarhus United sees a drop in income for
2003, compounded by currency...
With the Commission proposal for changes to the EU sugar regime but
a few months away, Commissioner Franz Fischler explains why sugar
reform is 'unavoidable.'
Organisers of the international food fair Salima 2004 claim that
exhibitor numbers are up on for the bi-annual event, to be held in
Brno, southern Moravia, from 2-5 March
The Bulgarian government has confirmed that it is establishing a
National Milk Board to help consolidate, grow and administer this
important sector of the country's food industry.
Countdown to the integration of 10 new member states in Europe this
April begins under the aegis of the Irish presidency. For
manufacturers, a clear understanding of the marketplace in these
countries will be vital to pitching the...
Rexam, the UK-based global consumer packaging company, has
confirmedthe acquisition from Dutch group Hunan of all of the
shares in Poland Glassworks Holding, the holding company of Polish
glassworks, Polglass.
Parmalat representatives from across Europe will meet today to
discuss the measures that the new management will take to help its
distressed units. Trade union leaders in Hungary claim that the
Eastern European country's unit...
A brewer in Sweden is facing the GM debate head on. The company
claims to have launched the first food product to use genetic
modification as a marketing tool.
The Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture has revealed that dairy
exports to the EU tripled in 2003 and that in the light of further
demand from the EU overall dairy production is set to increase by
50 per cent for 2004.
Unilever has appealed against last October's European Court's
decision that ordered the company to allow competitors to display
their ice cream in its freezers cabinets.
The Polish government has announced that a significant number of
the country's dairy and meat businesses are still struggling to
comply with EU regulations which have to be met by 1 May this year.
As a consequence, a series of...
Dairy giant Nestlé, has been taken to court in China for
mislabelling a milkshake drink. A mother in China discovered that
Nesquik powder that she bought for her three-year-old son contained
GM ingredients only after looking on the...
Uncertainties over milk purchasing levels and payments caused by
the financial crisis at dairy giant Parmalat is forcing southern
European farmers into a race to secure guaranteed sales that may
quickly put pressure on milk prices.
The emergency decree passed late last month by the Italian
government in a bid to save dairy giant Parmalat from collapse
looks set to win support from the European Commission on the back
of guarantees that there will be no state...
Tetra Pak has been a pioneering force in the central and eastern
European food and beverage packaging sector. However, with
accession just around the corner a series of new challenges are
about to present themselves. We spoke to a...
The proposal by the EU to redefine the rules governing what
constitutes as yoghurt has come up against a wall of opposition in
the UK. The two-fold proposal calls for only products that contain
live bacteria to be defined as yoghurt.
The European Commission has welcomed the agreement reached by the
European Parliament and Council conciliation committee to increase
the minimum recycling targets for packaging waste from 25 to 55 per
cent by 2008. The agreement overcomes...
The Functional foods market in Europe is a strong sector that
commentators say is expanding at a rapid rate. This has led many
food producers to look for innovative ways to make food healthy
when creating a new product. And in particular...
Talks between Lidl, the German retail company, and Tine, the
Norwegian dairy group, have this week been terminated as the result
of a milk packaging dispute.
The 10 soon-to-be member states of the EU need to invest in the
dairy sector in order for the states to be in line with EU
standards by 1 May 2004, the date of accession.
